Not again! Same US Atty’s office puts another border patrol agent in jail based on immunized drug smuggler’s testimony

But this case is even worse - the drug smuggler didn't even get shot this time.

This would too ludicrous to make it as a novel. That it actually happened is a crying shame.

The same US Attorney’s office in west Texas that sent Agents Ramos and Campean to the slammer after a border-crossing drug smuggler got shot has struck again. Agent Jesus Diaz Jr has been sentenced to two years in the slammer for arresting a 15yo who was part of a group carrying 150 lbs of dope across the border.

Diaz’s crime? Did he shoot the kid? No. Did he torture him? No. Did he beat him? No. After handcuffing the uncooperative dealer, he used the common technique of lifting his hands behind him to force him down. That’s it.

Of course the Mexican government went ape as soon as it happened. It almost looks like they complained about it before anyone even know the kid had been arrested. Homeland Security and ICE checked into it and found nothing. End of story right? Guess again.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Internal Affairs Division ignored that and went after him anyway, through the same office that did it all before to the other two agents. He was sentenced by a Bush appointee (based on recommendations from the two GOP Texas Senators) who began her “public service” career working for Ronnie Earle. Like I said, no publisher would accept such a fantastic story as a novel because it’s just too far-fetched.

Here’s the story as told by the defense.

The Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council said the government’s case was “based on false testimony that is contradicted by the facts.”

In a statement, the council said that because the arrest took place at about 2 a.m., darkness would have made it impossible for the government’s witnesses to have seen whether any mistreatment took place. It said Marcos Ramos, the Border Patrol agent who stood next to Diaz, testified that he did not see any mistreatment of the smuggling suspect.

The council said other witnesses made contradictory claims and some later admitted to having perjured themselves. Such admissions, the council said, were ignored by the court and the government. It also said that probationary agents who claimed to have witnessed the assault raised no objections during the incident and failed to notify an on-duty supervisor until hours later.

“Instead, they went off-duty to a local ‘Whataburger’ restaurant, got their stories straight and reported it hours later to an off-duty supervisor at his home,” the council said. “Then the ‘witnesses’ went back to the station and reported their allegations.”

The council also noted that the teenager claimed no injuries in court other than sore shoulders, which the council attributed to “the weight of the drug load, approximately 75 pounds, he carried across the border.”